Indian PM Narendra Modi Breaks Silence After Deadly Border Skirmish With China

After maintaining a disquieting silence for more than 24 hours, Indian PM Narendra Modi delivered his first statement since the deadly border clash between Indian and Chinese forces that left 20 Indian soldiers dead.

India will not let the sacrifice made by its soldiers go waste, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. India will protect its territory and integrity, before adding that India is “culturally a peaceful nation and has cooperated with neighboring countries: Modi wants to ensure the country that India’s integrity and sovereignty are top priorities for us, and nobody can stop India from protecting it.

India will protect the country’s land and its integrity, Modi say.

The opposition Congress Party, led by Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi political family, has repeatedly slammed the prime minister over his silence, and posited it as part of a pattern of weakness shown during previous border spats (which seem to be happening more and more under Modi’s Hindu Nationalist government).

PM Modi’s silence is an insult to every soldier that has laid down their life to protect our nation.#PMDaroMatJawabDo pic.twitter.com/vPKX1yvBRc

— Congress (@INCIndia) June 17, 2020

The party has demanded more answers from Modi, including a more complete explanation of what caused the skirmish.

Today when there’s anger in the country regarding this incident then PM should come forward & tell the truth to the country that how did China occupy our land and why did our 20 soldiers lose their lives? What is the situtaion there today?: Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi pic.twitter.com/OczUqQj0jm

— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2020

The meeting, which was apparently focused on the coronavirus outbreak, involved Modi and the chief ministers of 15 Indian states and territories, and featured a 2-minute moment of silence to honor the 20 Indian soldiers killed during yesterday’s border skirmish.

Delhi: PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the chief ministers of 15 states and union territories, who are present in the meeting via video-conferencing today, observe two-minute silence as a tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in #GalwanValley clash. pic.twitter.com/R9smyDFwbR

— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2020

We imagine we’ll be hearing more from Modi’s government, and the Indian opposition, as the day drags on.